Like a pro: how to get crystal clear glasses

Crystal clear glasses catch the eye on any table. Sadly, even the most sparkling glasses can become milky and opaque. We’ll help you to get them sparkling again with some home remedies.

The reason for milky glasses is usually either glass corrosion or lime scale. Lime scale occurs when hard water is insufficiently softened and can be removed. Glass corrosion, however, is permanent as it’s a result of the glass surface being damaged by products such as chemicals. The good news is, glass corrosion can be slowed down and lime scale can be removed.

Grandma knows best – at least when it comes to white vinegar and its magical impact on lime scale. Here’s how: pour some vinegar into a flat bowl, place it in your dishwasher, put the glasses in your dishwasher and use a normal cleaning program, without adding any detergent. Because detergent is alkaline, it neutralises the acidity of the vinegar, which is why this cycle is best run without it. For persistent stains, put your glasses in a bowl of warm water and vinegar and let them soak for a while before starting the procedure described above.

Lemon juice is good for preventing lime scale and leaves a fresh, pleasant scent in your dishwasher. The secret ingredient in lemon is an acid that literally fights and dissolves lime scale. It’s as easy as this: cut a lemon in half, place it in your cutlery basket and run the dishwasher. Leave the detergent out this washing cycle and let the lemon work its magic. Persistent stains can be removed by rubbing the lemon directly on the glass. The result will be fresh and clean.

Toothpaste is a true hands-on method for removing lime scale from your glasses. Unlike white vinegar or lemon juice, toothpaste doesn’t work inside the dishwasher but it’s still very effective. Use a simple white toothpaste rather than a gel, put it on the affected areas of your glasses and polish them with a soft damp cloth. By the way, this life hack works well on your bathroom fittings, too.

Lime scale occurs when hard water isn’t softened sufficiently, but it can be prevented. Find out more about the water quality in your area with our water hardness test strips and set the water softening unit accordingly – usually via the programme selector. Add salt regularly and use the correct amount of rinsing agent in every washing cycle. To effectively prevent lime scale, Bosch recommends Finish tabs, as they offer a high-quality, all-in-one solution containing salt, rinsing agent and detergent.